King Uzziah :as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper

2 Chronicles 26:5: “[King Uzziah] sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.”

January 7th, 2014 by Pastor Ed in devotional

 

Here’s a great truth in King Uzziah’s life, which every believer on the planet should follow as a model for their life: “.” This is a promise of God that will be true for any person who applies it. In this chapter we find a list of what God did for King Uzziah, including giving him military victories, a growing national agricultural industry, and a strengthened national defense.

That God desires to abundantly bless our lives is scripturally true. But it is also true that God hates a prideful heart. He doesn’t ask us to think of ourselves as nothing, but to think of ourselves in proper relationship to Him. The principle says that as long as we seek God in our lives, our lives will prosper. They will be eternally significant, which is of course the definition of true significance. When our life is spiritually dependent on God, we get out of this old world everything we are supposed to. God did bless Uzziah greatly but the sin of pride in Uzziah brought his life to a tragic end. It is a classic example of what happens to a man who gets too big in his own eyes. As long as Uzziah walked with God, God fought his battles; but when he saw himself as important enough to do whatever he wanted, that blessing was removed.

In the Battle of the Wilderness, during the Civil War, Union general John Sedgwick was inspecting his troops. At one point he came to a parapet and gazed out in the direction of the enemy. His officers suggested that this was unwise and perhaps he ought to duck while passing the parapet. “Nonsense,” snapped the general. “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist—.” A moment later Sedgwick fell to the ground, fatally wounded.

“LORD, we remind ourselves of where You have brought us and where You want to take us. We recognize that we are nothing apart from You. Please keep us humble and seeking You this day.”

How to Read the Bible and Enjoy It

By M. Hyatt

 

I remember the first time I tried to read the Bible for myself. I found my grandfather’s copy on a shelf in his living room. I was nine years old.

I sat down on the floor, cross-legged, with the Bible on my lap. I opened it slowly … reverently … and began to read.

• I was fascinated by God’s creation of the heavens, earth, and man in Genesis 1–2.
• I was swept into the drama of man’s temptation and fall in Genesis 3.
• I was saddened by Cain’s murder of Abel in Genesis 4.

I felt like I had discovered a lost book—the key to the universe! I was captivated.

Then I hit the “begats” in Genesis 5.

Oh boy.

My eyes glazed over.

I closed the Bible, stood up, and slipped it back on the shelf. I didn’t pick it up again for another ten years.

So many people have told me they’ve had similar experiences. They know they should read the Bible; they just don’t know how to begin.

Even if you are not a Christian—or don’t consider yourself a spiritually-inclined person—the Bible is worth reading. Without question, it has had a greater impact on Western civilization than any other book published.

You can’t understand great literature, common metaphors, or cultural allusions without a basic knowledge of these ancient texts. (I use the plural because the Bible is actually a collection of books.)

But how do you start? The Bible is, after all, a big book! I have read it through several times. In fact, my goal is to read it through every year, though it some times takes a little longer.

This has served me well in so many ways. I find myself referring to the stories and sayings again and again. The best part is they have become the foundation and raw material for everything I do.

In this post, I thought I’d share how I read the bible. It’s not the only way to do it, of course. But I thought this might be helpful to you if you want to read it all the way through and partake of its treasures on a regular basis.

1. Read at a set time each day. As I learned a long time ago, what gets scheduled gets done. I read the Bible first thing each morning, so I don’t get side-tracked by something else.
2. Distinguish between reading and study. When I am reading, I don’t try to do word studies, read commentaries, or chase cross-references. While this can be valuable, I consider it Bible study—something I reserve for other times. The goal for my reading is breadth not depth.
3. Use a balanced, Bible reading plan. This is key. I read from four passages each day: Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. This way, if I hit a dry patch in one section, I can usually get something out of another. Innumerable plans are available. This year I am using the One Year Bible.
4. Read in an easy-to-understand translation. Some may disagree, but a paraphrase is fine for Bible reading (not study). The key is to use a translation that helps you to understand what you are reading. I usually read in a different translation each year, just so the text doesn’t become so familiar I stop paying attention.
5. Highlight or underline as you read. Maybe the thought of marking in a Bible scandalizes you. I hope not. It helps me focus my attention and get back to those passages that I find particularly meaningful. I read on a Kindle, so I also have access to those highlights in the cloud and in Evernote.
6. Identify at least one key take away. Personally, my goal in Bible reading is not merely to increase my knowledge; I want to change my life (see James 1: 22–25). This begins by paying attention to what I am reading and marking those passages that seem particularly relevant to my current circumstances. When I am finished reading, I go back over my highlights and pick one to record in my journal, along with my response to it.
7. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. This is difficult for me. I am a recovering achiever and a perfectionist. But it is essential if you are going to make progress. The truth is you are going to miss some days. It’s okay. It’s not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Just pick up the next day and keep moving.

The key, I think, is to keep the process simple. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Don’t get hung up on what you don’t understand.

Like Mark Twain once said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Relationships take time. And as time passes, we can decide whether we want to go to the next level with a person and eventually open up to them. This doesn’t have to be a boyfriend or girlfriend thing; this can apply to many relationships.

Hopefully, we all have someone we can tell our deepest and darkest secrets to; someone we know can keep our confidence. Friends like these know when there is something wrong with us, even when others don’t. They have been our friends for so long they can sense our mood without even talking to us. With an acquaintance, it’s different. We might tell them a little about our life, but we usually let them know all of the good stuff; we almost wear a mask for them.

Ironically, we sometimes try to wear this mask for Jesus. When we pray, we might ask him to forgive us of our little sins and ask for good things to happen to us, but we never ask him to search us. We don’t tell him to look deep down in our heart and see if there is anything within us that needs changing. We hesitate to open up in this way because it’s uncomfortable. When the Holy Spirit searches us and convicts us of sin, we rationalize it away. Or, we have been living our life with a particular sin for so long, that it just becomes a part of us and we are calloused. We forget that Jesus already knows what is in our hearts (John 2:23).

Jesus is waiting for us to invite him into our hearts and cleanse us of our grievous ways. We can’t hide our sins from Jesus; only keep them from the healing power of His presence. And by holding our sin so tightly, we do nothing but embrace our own death, while pushing away the author of life. We should daily pray as the Psalmist does, and ask God to search our hearts. We should open ourselves up to the real healing that only God can give.

Have you let Jesus look into your heart lately?

source: shortdailydevotions.com

HOPE and WAIT for GREAT THINGS

image source : http://www.bibleexplained.com/other-early/1&2-Kings/Elijah-cloud-cmg.jpg

⁴³ “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

⁴⁴ The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

⁴⁵ Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.

I KINGS 18:43-45 (NIV) 
 ~*~
You know this story? Elijah was praying for rain at that time, he told his servant to look toward the sea but his servant saw nothing. He then told him once again to go and look but then the servant saw nothing again and again and again until the seventh time when he saw a cloud as small as a man's hand. Elijah knew it will rain. 

He prayed and so he hoped and he waited.
Oftentimes, we do pray, we do hope but it is in the waiting that most of us falter. If I was Elijah's servant, I would have probably complained and grumbled many times going back and forth to look up and see nothing at all.

That's me most of the time. I am one impatient person and waiting makes me agitate which is not right. I pray I can have Elijah’s faith-even just a tenth part of it. 

I feel like I have been waiting forever-waiting for the rain. And as of now I still don’t see even a small cloud rising up above the sea. 

But I have to keep my hopes high and wait some more, remembering that Elijah had to asked his servant seven times. And I have to wait patiently like they did, for in my heart I know it will rain, rain of blessings and abundance and answered prayers.


Praying that I will have my small cloud soon.

Blessed by God, Blessing others?

Galatians 6:9 – In Due Season

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21 ESV)

We very seldom view accumulating stuff as a barrier to serving others. Common sense would seem to say that if you possess more stuff then you have more with which to serve others. Jesus appeared to see this from a different perspective. In Luke 12 Jesus tells a parable of a rich man whose land is especially productive and has much more than he needs. The rich man comes to a simple conclusion that he will store up the blessings of God (Luke 12:18-19).

Jesus proceeds to tell His disciples (which hopefully includes you and me) that our lives should follow a radically different path rooted in living out His kingdom in the hear and now. Here’s Jesus’ radical conclusion of how that should look:

Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12:33-34 ESV)

As followers of Jesus, a big part of our mission (our reason for existing on this earth) is to be a glimpse of Jesus’ coming kingdom. Think of our life’s misson as being an appetizer for the amazing banquet that is to come (check out this parable too Luke 14:12-24). Jesus seems to repeatedly say that our desire to hold on to the stuff of this world creates a big barrier to us living out this mission…

Here’s a few thoughts on why:

The more stuff we have, the more we want more stuff. Consumerism is addictive. Our natural tendency is to pursue the bigger, nicer, better, fancier ____________.

The more stuff we have, the more we want to hold on to our stuff. Somehow our stuff easily becomes the source of our security and satisfaction. Our hearts have the capacity to turn almost anything into an idol.

The more stuff we have, the more our stuff becomes the desire of our hearts. We often think that wherever our heart is that our treasure (money & resources) will follow. Jesus says it’s the other way around (Luke 12:34).

The more stuff we have, the more of our time and energy it requires. Just check out our calendars. A lot of time is spent keeping up our nice stuff rather than sacrificially serving others.

The more stuff we have, the more it insulates us from the needs of others. Everyone (both wealthy and poor) has needs, but all too often pursuing bigger better stuff removes us from intersecting with those in need.

Does God choose to bless some with larger houses, nicer cars, and more resources? Certainly. Does God lead some Jesus-followers to reach out to the wealthy with the good news of Jesus? Of course… BUT here’s the big bottom line: If God blesses us with a lot of stuff , it’s so we can be a blessing to others and become a glimpse of His kingdom in the midst of a messed up world.

How is God leading you to use your resources to bless others in need around you?

source : shortdailydevotions.com

Getting and Giving Back to the Lord

1 Samuel 1:28 – Getting and Giving Back to the Lord

Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. (1 Samuel 1:28 ESV)

Have you ever wanted something so bad, you would do almost anything to see it happen? It seems to consume you and feel as though your life would be complete when this event takes place. Hannah did. She was barren and getting older every year while her husband’s other wife was having kids and rubbing it in her face. God heard her prayers and graciously gave her a son.

But, what did Hannah do with that great treasure? She gave him back to the Lord, allowing him to be raised in the temple, set apart for service to him. Think about what you have been asking God for. Are you ready to give it back? Is that why you haven’t received it yet? Remember, after Hannah gave her son to the Lord, he blessed her with more.

Everything we have comes from the Father (1 Corinthians 4:7),  follow Hannah’s example by giving it all back for his use and glory.

Top 10 - Determination, Motivation, and Preparation

Written by Harold Herring

10. If you don’t pursue your vision for 2014…you will always be a slave to your circumstances or someone else’s vision.
9. We should NOT fear what the Word of God says we can overcome.
8. Never allow anyone other than God to determine your worth and value.
7. Oversleeping is NOT the way to make your dreams come true. If you need a nap…take it…then get up and get going. Proverbs 6:9-11
6. If you’re under attack…understand the enemy is paying attention to you…because he recognizes your potential for the Kingdom.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

5. Never be moved by what others think or say…only by what God directs you to accomplish.
4. As long as you have a dream…you will never be poor. No one can take your dream away but you can give up on it. Don’t.
3. Determination, motivation and preparation will always overcome any failure. The only way you ever fail…is if you quit.
2. Ask God today for direction on unclaimed wealth, unknown ideas and unused potential.
1. If life is a football game. God is the team owner. Jesus is the General Manager. The Holy Spirit is the coach and the Bible is your playbook.

Faith in Suffering

Hebrews 11:36-38 – Faith in Suffering

Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:36-38 ESV)

Hebrews 11—the great “hall of faith” chapter, as some have called it. I have meditated on the faith of Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Joseph and Moses numerous times in my life, but only recently have I stopped to ponder the significance of these verses at the end of the chapter.

Verses 33-34 tell of all the amazing things God did through men of great faith: conquering kingdoms, stopping the mouths of lions, quenching fire, and escaping the sword. Then in stark contrast verses 35-38 describe men who endured great suffering.

It is popular today in some religious circles to hear that if a Christian has enough faith they will be happy, healthy, and wealthy. So were these “others” who were so destitute they only had sheep skins to wear not men of great faith like David and Gideon? It seems very clear that by faith some men escaped the sword while others still keeping great faith were killed by the sword.

(Philippians 1:29) says, “…for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake” and John 16:33 tells us we will have trouble in this world. As a person who suffers from daily chronic pain, passages like this bring great hope. God in his sovereignty, not we and our amount of faith or good deeds, plans out the course of our life; and for some it will involve great suffering. We are only commanded to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) as we see demonstrated by these men “of whom the world was not worthy”. These men showed the world by their faith in suffering that Jesus is worth everything, even their lives.

Will you walk by faith trusting God’s goodness, no matter what road He has planned for you today? Read 2 Corinthians 10-12 to be challenged and encouraged by the life of Paul who endured great suffering by faith.

Guest devotion by Kari. Kari is a young wife and mother of a busy toddler. After serving as a missionary to those suffering from AIDS in Uganda, Africa she is learning personally that pain has a purpose. Learn how you can become a guest writer.

Faith Challenge

~Faith is unreserved trust in God's character

~Faith is unwavering trust in God's word especially His promises

~Faith rests on God's truthfulness and faithfulness.

Day 24- Heart Preparation for Revival: Gunter Krallmann

Lord, help me have faith in you and in your words specially in tough times like this. May I learn to trust in you completely. In Jesus Name, Amen

Psalm 13

I am on Psalm 13 today and I love the image below because it gave me clearer picture of the whole passage. I admit, sometimes I stay longer on the "lament" part which should not be because our God is our refuge. we should trust HIM and His unfailing love for us :)

image source : http://grantenglish.com/archives/2012/03/07/the-laments-in-the-psalms/

Let not anger control you

image source : http://www.nadinewouldsay.com/2013/01/a-walk-through-psalm-4.html

"Your face gets flushed, your blood begins to get hot, and your head begins to throb. These are physical signs that anger is beginning to control you in the moment. when our anger gets out of control there is never a good result. In such situations, the smartest thing to do is to remain silent and take some time to think overnight. In the morning, after time has passed, it's easier to respond with a calmer stance." 

God bless everyone!

Matthew 25:29

image source : http://www.awordforthesoul.com/2012/04/the-matthew-effect/

"Are you spending each day utilizing your God given talents? If not, think about doing things that take advantage of your special talents and then put a lot of muscle behind it. When we make wise choices and use our talents to the fullest extent, success follows". 

Forgiveness means

I had discipleship session with the girls last night.  And what a very timely topic we had for our discussion.

FORGIVENESS

As of the moment, we are all struggling for this because someone from our church, somebody whom we trusted, somebody whom we entrusted our youth betrayed us all (well, that's how we feel right now) and we are all hurting specially the youth.

So last night, God reminded us all that forgiveness means PRAYING for that somebody who hurt you

Matthew 5:44 said  
"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"

Forgiveness also means that you don't take revenge for your self, you try to live at peace with that person. Remember that God will avenge for you.

Romans 12:18-19 
"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."

Forgiveness means doing good to that someone who wronged you. You not only live at peace wih him, you don't take revenge but  instead YOU DO GOOD TO THEM.  

 Luke 6:27-28
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

 I know it is quite hard to do that but that is what God wants us to do. It is hard but if we abide in Christ and His love overflows in us, we will be able to do it because we were also FORGIVEN.

I know it's a long way to go for our youth and for our whole church but God is a God of restoration and forgiveness. We will recover in time.

Take Courage! I am here!

What do you fear? 

Is it financial ruin, loneliness,pain,poor health, or the collapse of your family? When you feel afraid, and fear has its strong grip on you, remember this: God is with you. Acknowledging this will allow you to conquer your fear and steady your steps.as you move forward, step by step, your fear will fade away as you recognize that your strength is with God. 

He is with you.



 Source :devotional  text message sent to me 

Top 10 - Character Counts

Written by Harold Herring

10. Never stereotype anyone based on their net worth or the lack thereof.

9. How a person responds to having money will reveal their true character…who they really are. Money is just a reflection.

8. Your potential isn’t limited by your actions but rather your beliefs. Mark 9:23.

7. You have something special to achieve in your life because God made sure you were born…you are not an accident. Jeremiah 1:5

6. Never let what you can’t do…keep you from doing what you can do…today.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

 5. Delay is a favorite deceptive and tactical weapon of the enemy. He knows delay often fuels the doubts he seeks to create.

4. It’s the character of a person’s heart and not the balance in their checkbook or lack thereof that determines who they are.

3. Your destiny is not determined by chance but by choice.

2. Never be moved by your circumstances or the opinions of others...base your decisions on the Word of God and nothing else.

 1. People get themselves into financial trouble because they’re always comparing themselves to others and what they have or don’t have.

Philippians 4:8

Ever heard of the saying “You are what you eat?” well, the same is true with your thoughts; you become what you think. Fixing our thoughts on the positive allows our outlook to be positive, even if we are surrounded by negativity. Paul is trying to show us that we can rise above behaviors we detest. It all starts with thoughts, which lead to actions, and eventually become habits.




Source :devotional  text message sent to me 

Top 10 - Turning Potential Into Success

Written by Harold Herring

10. Don’t let anyone’s attitude or words distract you or break your focus. 

9. What you affirm. . .you confirm. What you confess. . you will possess. 

8. Doubt will never produce the harvest you desire. 

7. Wishing, hoping and over sleeping will never make your dreams come true but a plan, timeline, diligence and the right attitude will. 

6. God has given you the ability to perform at a level you never thought possible. He sees greater potential in you than you see in yourself. 

5. A Word for someone. Decisions you make today must be based on what’s right and not how others will react. Isaiah 11:3 

4. If God tells you something is going to happen. . .it will happen. . .it’s not a matter of if. . .but when.

3. The price of success is always paid in advance. . .never after it’s been achieved. 

2. At some point. . .you will either be forced to live in the potential of your faith or with the consequences of your doubt. 

1. If you want to be successful . . . look for solutions to your problems instead of someone to blame.

Keep the fire!

Today, while reading on the book of Leviticus, this particular verse spoken to me

And while the altar being referred here was the altar of burnt offering, that is actually a particular instruction for the priest and it was mentioned also on verse 12, meaning it is important for God to keep that fire burning, he even said "it must not go out" 

It seems God is also saying to me "Raquel, the fire must be kept burning in your heart, it must not go out" God knows the current state of my heart and HE exactly knows what I need. He deeply cares for me. I am once again amazed of how loving our Lord is. 

Now, going back to the altar of burnt offering, it said in Leviticus that the priest is to add firewood to keep the fire(6:12) Isn't it the same with the altar in our hearts? We should "do some work" to keep that fire. Prayer, worship, reading God's word and fellowship can be the firewood. It will surely keep the fire burning. 

The world may keep us so busy with all the things that going on in our lives. Work,deadlines, ministries and other stuff  that gives us less time to pray, to worship, to meditate on God's word thus making the fire in our hearts flicker. 

It is so clear, God wants us to spend time with Him. God wants me to spend quality time with Him. 

KEEP THE FIRE.

~*~

Anyways, in a totally different topic, those who are having pest problem in their home, you can now  buy termidor online, aren't you amaze that everything is being offered online nowadays?  maybe  that's to keep up with this busy world no?

well, even how busy you are, please do not forget your personal time with God. It is so important, it gives us the energy :)

Blessings everyone!! 

Skill That Can Slay a Giant

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.”

(Proverbs 18:16, NASB)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

When people hear the story of David and Goliath, sometimes they think, “That was all God.” And yes, in a sense, I know it was God. But the truth is that God didn’t sling the stone. God didn’t cause it to hit at just the right spot. It was the skill God gave David that he had developed. Like David, God has put in you skill that can slay a giant. You have skill that can open new doors, skills that can lead to an abundant life, but the key is that your skill has to be developed. Every day that you spend growing, learning and improving, you’re getting prepared for that new level. Today, while you’re waiting for that new opportunity, start sharpening your skills. Study your boss. Study your manager. Learn that position. Be able to step into their shoes. When God sees that you are prepared, then He can open new doors. The scripture says, “Your gifts will make room for you.” Keep developing your skills because there is a giant slayer in you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for depositing in me everything that I need for life and godliness. I choose to be faithful with what You have given me. I choose to sharpen my skills. Help me prepare for every opportunity You have for my future in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Matthew 6:33

This verse says it all, if you need anything..seek the LORD first. I know sometimes we tend to go somewhere else hoping to find solution to our problem, go to employer for financial needs, go to lending companies, go to a friend for comfort, etc...

But it is very clear that if we SEEK GOD FIRST, He will supply all our needs.
I hope we all learn to do just that no?

I for myself sometime worry first before going to the Lord..sigh.